Clamp for printing-film frames.



No. 802,788. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905; B. DAY.

CLAMP FOP. PRINTING FILM FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAMP FOR PRINTING-FILM FRAMES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24:, 1905.

Application filed April 6, 1905. Serial No. 254,115.

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, BENJAMIN DAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of West Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and improved Clamp for Printing-Film Frames, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to printing-film frames of the general type described in my Patent No. 666,087, dated January 15, 1901, my more particular object being to produce a type of clamp whereby a suitable hinge or journal member may be connected with the frame.

Among the several objects of my improvements are the following: first, to enable the clamp to be firmly secured upon the frame so as to prevent any movement, however slight, asbetween the frame and the journal upon which it swings, and, second, to enable the connection between the hinge member and the frame to be made as quickly as possible.

In mechanisms of the type above mentioned the printing-film is mounted within a rectangular frame, and this frame swings upon pivots or hinges.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of mechanism used for mounting the printing-film frame and also showing the clamping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the printingfilm, the frame for holding the same, one of the hinge members, and the clamping mechanism for securing the hinge member upon the frame. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the details of the clamping mechanism, and Fig. i is a perspective view showing one of the hinge members and the clamp for securing the frame thereupon.

()ne of the heads 5, carried by an adjustable rod 6 and used for supporting the frame, is shown in Fig. 1, there being in practice two of these rods disposed upon opposite sides of the frame. A cross-rod 7 supports a boxing 8, which may be adjusted to difierent radial angles relatively to the rod 7 by means of a thumb-nut 9, the latter being preferably of the form of a milled disk, as indicated in Fig. 1. The rod 7 is rigid. A supporting-slide 10 is provided with guiding portions 11, which engage the boxing 8. There are two of these supporting-slides disposed upon opposite sides of the frame. Each slide 10 is controllable by a micrometer-screw 13, provided with a milled head 12 and with a rigid collar 14:, so that the slide 10 is adjustable within certain limits. Each slide 10 supports a 'pintle 15. A cap 16 is provided for the purpose of rendering the boxing 8 dust-proof.

The printing-frame is shown at 17 and the printing-film at 18, the latter being held in position by means of a lapping surface 19 or in any other manner desired. A hinge member 20 is provided with a lateral projecting lug 21 and with a bearing portion 22, having a conoidal bearing-aperture 23, which engages the pintle 15. A jaw 24 is provided with a gripping-surface 25 and with a thickened portion 26, provided with a cavity 27. A revoluble stem 28 is provided with a button 29, which is sunken into an aperture 30 in the lower face of the hinge member 20. Aeamdisk 31 is rigidly mounted upon the stem 28, and upon the opposite side of this cam-disk is a stem 32, integral with the stem 28 and with the cam-disk 31. A thumb-lever 33 merges into a disk 35, and is thus integral with the stems 32 and 28.

The hinge member 20 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is exactly like thehinge member 20 shown in Figs. 1 and 4, with the exception that it bolongs at the opposite end of the frame that is to say, the hinge member 20 viewed as from the left of Fig. 2 would appear toward the observers left, whereas the hinge member 20 would appear toward his right. Each hinge member is provided with a flange 34 and with lugs 36 37, separated by an air-space 40, those two lugs having milled surfaces 38 39, whereby they secure an effective grip upon the edges of the printing-film frame. The lugs 36 37 of each hinge member are disposed opposite the flange 25 and upon each side of the same, so that a triple contact is formed between the flange and the lugs. No sort of misfit due to the warping or shrinkage of the frame can prevent either hinge member from being secured firmly thereto, because the triple contact causes the parts to lit independently of their accuracy of shape.

My invention is used as follows: The printing-frame 17 carrying thefilm 18, is laid upon a table or other appropriate surface, and upon opposite corners of the frame are placed the hinge members 20 20. The operator then grasps the thumb-lever 33, and. thereby turns the stems 32 and 28. These parts being integral, it follows that a partial revolution causes the cam-disk 31 to shift its relative position and to force the jaw 24 toward the hinge member, so as to firmly secure the latter in position upon the printing-film frame. The lugs 36 37 being milled and disposed opposite the flange 25, as above described, enable the hinge member to obtain a good grip. In order to remove either hinge member, all that is necessary is to turn the thumb-lever 33, whereupon the hinge member is instantly detached.

In order to apply the printing-film 18 to the surface to be printed, the printing-film frame is mounted as above described, and the frame is next brought down into a horizontal position, so that the film 18 directly engages a stone, paper, or other surface upon which the print is to be done. The frame is now raised into the position indicated in Fig. 1, so that the stone, paper, or other surface may be readily examined. Next the printing-film 18 is inked upon its under side and replaced upon the surface to be printed. Pressure is now applied on the upper or rear side of the film, forcing it into close engagement with the surface upon which it rests, so that the ink is transferred from the lower face of the film to the surface. The film is next adjusted relatively to the surface to be printed and is again inked and again impressed upon the surface in question. This confers upon the surface a design slightly difierent from that with which the printing-film is provided, the clifference being due to the fact that in adjusting the design has been slightly moved. For instance, if the printing-film be provided with a design consisting of small dots spaced equidistant and an impression is taken for inking the design and then the film is moved slightly in a lateral direction as, for instance, by adjusting the pintles 15 or by moving the members 10the film again inked and anotherimpression taken upon the same surface, it is obvious that the surface as thus printed has not exactly the same appearance which it would have if only one impression were taken. It will be seen, therefore, that by slightly adjusting the printing-film in difierent directions any number of combinational designs may be printed from a single simple design upon the printing-film. In view of these observations it will be seen that the printingfilm must be so mounted as to reduce the lost motion to a minimum, because otherwise it would be impossible to place the design accurately where it is wanted upon the surface and it would be impracticable to cause the film to print with proper clearness.

It will be understood that in the art to which this invention relates great precision is rement or looseness of any part which should be rigid will cause the printing-film to do very poor printing. The parts should be so fitted to each other that when the printing-frame is swung downwardly or into a horizontal position every dot upon the film carried by the frame should be brought into an exact predetermined position. This being so and it being practically necessary to remove the printingfilm frame from its hinge members every precaution must be taken to insure the accurate fitting of the parts. By my device a simple twist of the thumb-lever 33 secures the parts accurately and firmly in position. \Vhen, now, the frame is raised into the position indicated in Fig. 1, each lug 21 lodges directly against a milled disk 9, so that no extra support need be provided against which the frame in its elevated position may rest. The milled disks are never turned except when the frame is lowered into its horizontal position.

Having thus described myinvention,I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A clamp for printing-film frames, comprising a hinge member for engaging the edge of the frame, a jaw disposed adjacent to said hinge member and movable relatively thereto, said jaw being provided with a portion for engaging a part of the printing-frame opposite the position of said hinge member, and an eccentric cam for moving said jaw bodily in relation to said hinge member.

2. A clamp for printing-film frames, comprising a hinge member provided with a portion for engaging one edge of the printingfilm frame, a jaw provided with a flange for engaging an opposite edge of said printingfilm frame, and an eccentric cam engaging said jaw and said hinge member for the purpose of moving the same relatively to each other.

3. The combination of a boxing, means for mounting a pintle thereupon, a rod for sup porting said boxing, a thumb-nut for securing said boxing rigidly upon said rod, and a hinge member provided with a portion for engaging said pintle and with a lug for resting against said thumb-nut.

at. The combination of a jaw provided with a flange for engaging one edge of a printingfilm frame, a hinge member provided with a portion for engaging another edge of said printing-film frame, a cam connected with said jaw and with said hinge member, and a thumb-lever connected with said cam for turning the same so as to move said jaw and said hinge member in opposite directions.

5. As an article of manufacture, a hinge member provided with a bearing-surface for engaging a pintle. a jaw mounted upon said hinge member and movable relatively there to, and an eccentric cam controllable at will for moving said jaw relatively to said hinge member.

6. As an article of manufacture, a hinge IIO member provided with a bearing-surface for engaging a pintle, and also provided with a lug, a jaw, and an eccentric cam connecting said jaw and said hinge member together.

7. The combination of a frame, a hinge member provided with lugs spaced apart and engaging said frame, a clamp disposed intermediate of said lugs and provided with a portion disposed opposite said lugs, and an eccentric cam for actuating said clamp relatively to said frame.

8. The combination of a frame, a hinge member provided with a pair of lugs spaced apart and engaging said frame, a clamp disposed intermediate of said lugs and provided with a flange disposed opposite said lugs so as to form, in connection therewith, a triple contact for engaging said frame, and a cam BENJAMIN DAY.

Witnesses WALTON HARRISON, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

